The Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic on University Organization and Governance

Abstract

Emerging in December 2019 and becoming an international public health emergency as of mid-March 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has swept the world. The rise of COVID-19 has altered social interactions while also substantially transforming how organizations operate. Universities have been one of the most widely affected institutions. Since the imposition of worldwide quarantine measures, they have had to adapt to new administrative practices quickly. As such, this paper addresses the effects COVID-19 has had on university operations in the developed world. Specifically, this paper examines what the long-term effect of COVID-19 will be on university organization and governance. This research analyzes six areas of interest. The first section focuses on the effects the coronavirus has had on university pedagogical activities. We illustrate the hybridization of the teaching process as a result of the transition to online learning. Next, we discuss the adjustments university researchers have made to continue their work within a pandemic world. We emphasize how research collaborations and data collection will have to change post-epidemic. The third section serves to highlight the difficulties students, as well as university professionals, are facing. Here, the paper underlines how universities are dealing with issues concerning stress and mental health. The following section considers international students’ economic saliency, elaborating on how universities will need to adjust to maintain their financial stability while remaining academically appealing to overseas students. The fifth section concentrates on the changes made by universities regarding administrative and operative functions. Finally, we analyze the work of universities surrounding the implementation of an emergency preparedness plan, principally looking at the steps these academic institutions are taking to minimize any future health crisis’s detrimental effects.